CAARA “Tech In A Day” Graduates New Techs

Stephanie Frontiera is one determined young woman. At this spring’s Tech in a Day held at the Lanesville Community Center, she was one of seven students—and one of three from the Ipswich CERT. These CERT members were given radios and encouraged to get their Amateur Radio Technician license. She was determined to do it.

Tech in a Day is a program modeled after the Ham Cram program. It is a study session of the FCC question pool of 426 questions for the exam. There are 35 sections in the question pool, corresponding to the 35 questions on the exam. Every question a student sees on the test will be in the pool.

The good thing? The answers have always been part of the pool. Do the students learn all they have to know about Amateur Radio this way? No, the aim is to pass the test. The students are unlikely to learn everything from a book either—it takes practice and more often the help of a friendly Elmer, or a club to teach the practical matters of operating. After six 45-minute study sessions, the students are ready for the test.

So why did I say that Stephanie was so determined? She told me that she was going to pass this test—and get her General soon after that. But Stephanie was distracted during the session and it took her three tries to finally pass the exam. We all cheered when she made it. So, this session gave us seven out of seven for students and another two walk-ins who passed. All in all, it was a good day.